Senators' Karlsson to return Thursday

The Ottawa Senators will receive a major boost in their quest for a playoff spot, when Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Erik Karlsson returns to the lineup.

Karlsson told reporters in Washington that he'll play Thursday against the Capitals. Originally expected to miss four to six months after surgery Feb. 14 to fix a laceration in his left Achilles tendon, Karlsson will come back after just 10 weeks.